During the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty, there was a wealthy merchant named Li Gui, who ran a large cloth shop, which had a prosperous business and a reputation far and wide. He was also a philanthropist, often sponsoring poor relatives and friends, donating to the elderly and orphans, and building a hall in the monastery for monks and believers to eat. His wife, Wang, was also a virtuous woman, and she was of one heart and one mind with him, and did good deeds together.
Li Gui's only regret is that he has no son, he and the Wang family have been married for many years and only gave birth to a daughter named Li Jiao. Li Jiao is beautiful and intelligent, and she is the pearl of Li Gui's palm, but Li Gui always feels that he has a son missing, inheriting his family business and incense. He once thought about marrying another concubine, but the Wang family was too good to him, and he couldn't bear to hurt her, so he had to give up.
Although Li Gui has no son, he has a brother-in-law named Zhang Yi who grew up together. Zhang Yi is Li Gui's cousin, his father died at an early age, and he and his mother depend on each other. Li Gui's father took them into his home and raised Zhang Yi as his own son. Zhang Yi is also very filial to Li Gui's parents, and has a deep relationship with Li Gui, and the two are like brothers.
When Zhang Yi grew up, Li Gui gave him half of the shares of the cloth shop and let him run it together. Zhang Yi is also very capable, and he cooperates well with Li Gui, and the business of the two is getting bigger and bigger, and they make a lot of money. Zhang Yi also married a wife and had children, a happy family, and a successful career, he was grateful to Li Gui and often said that he wanted to repay his kindness.
The relationship between Li Gui and Zhang Yi made Wang and Li Jiao also very happy, they felt that Zhang Yi was their family, and they were also very kind and cared for them. Li Jiao especially likes Zhang Yi's son, called Zhang Ming, Zhang Ming and Li Jiao are of the same age, the two have played well since they were children, and when they grow up, they fall in love and fall in love. Li Gui and Zhang Yi also agreed with their marriage, and felt that it was a match made in heaven, so they betrothed them and set a wedding date.
Just the day before Li Jiao and Zhang Ming were going to get married, Li Gui suddenly received an anonymous letter with some shocking words written on it:
Li Gui, do you know why you have never had a son? For thy fathers hath done iniquity, and hast slain countless men, and hath paid a blood debt, and thou art their offspring, and thou shalt bear their iniquities. Do you want to know who your ancestors were? They are the couple who killed people without blinking in the early years of the Ming Dynasty, Li Zicheng and Chen Yuanyuan.
Don't you believe it? Ask your father, and he will tell you the truth. Do you still want your daughter to marry Zhang Ming? Do you know who Zhang Ming is? He is your own nephew, Zhang Yi is your own brother, and you are the sons of the same father. Don't you believe it? You go and ask Zhang Yi's mother, she will tell you the truth. You are like this, it is not tolerated by heaven, you will be punished by heaven, you will go to hell. ”
After reading this letter, Li Gui felt a burst of fear in his heart, he couldn't believe that this was true, he felt that someone deliberately framed him and wanted to destroy his happiness. He decided to ignore the letter and threw it into the brazier and burned to ashes. He told himself that this was someone who was jealous of his wealth and wanted to frame him, and he couldn't let these rumors affect his mood, and he wanted to marry his daughter well and make her happy.
The next day, Li Gui and Wang took Li Jiao to Zhang Yi's house to prepare for the wedding. Zhang Yi and his wife also greeted them warmly, and Zhang Ming also wore the groom's dress to marry the bride. Everything went well, the wedding began, jubilant and full of voices.
Just when Li Jiao and Zhang Ming were about to visit the church, they suddenly heard a commotion outside the door, and a voice shouted:
Don't worship, don't worship, you are relatives, you are **, you will be damned! ”
Everyone was startled, and when they looked up, they saw a monk standing at the door, holding a gong in his hand, and he was striking it vigorously, making a deafening sound. The monk was tall and kind-faced, with a golden monk's hat on his head, a red robe, and a pair of clogs under his feet, which looked very majestic.
As soon as Li Gui saw the monk, he felt a little familiar, he remembered the letter he received yesterday, his heart sank, he hurriedly stepped forward and said to the monk:
Master, who are you? Why are you here to make trouble? What proof do you have that we are relatives? Don't talk nonsense and frame us, or I'm going to sue you for slander! ”
The monk glanced at Li Gui and said coldly
I am a high monk from the fairy world, my name is Fuxian, and I am here to save you. Do not sin any more, but know your origins, know your ancestors, and know your iniquities. ”
As he spoke, he put the gong on the ground, took out a book from his sleeve, handed it to Li Gui, and said, "This book is borrowed by me from an ancient temple in the fairy world, and it records some history in the early years of the Ming Dynasty, including the deeds of your ancestors. Your ancestors were Li Zicheng, the leader of the rebellious peasant army, and his concubine Chen Yuanyuan, who once broke through Beijing, overthrew the Ming Dynasty, and established the Dashun Dynasty, but they were soon wiped out by the Qing army, and their fate was miserable, you can see for yourself. ”
Li Gui took the book, opened it and looked at it, only to see that there were some things written on it that he had never heard of, he was dumbfounded, he couldn't believe that it was true, he felt that this was a pseudo-history, and someone deliberately made it up.
He returned the book to Fuxian and said: "Master, what nonsense are you talking about, how can I be a descendant of Li Zicheng, I am a serious businessman, I have never rebelled, I am loyal to the court, I am benevolent and righteous to the people, how can I have anything to do with that murderous traitor?" Don't slander me anymore, don't interfere with my daughter's wedding anymore, you go quickly, or I'm going to have someone kick you out!" ”
Fuxian shook his head and said: "Li Gui, you don't deceive yourself anymore, you don't want to escape from reality anymore, you have to know your life experience, you have to know your bad fate." You are a descendant of Li Zicheng, this is an indisputable fact, your father is Li Zicheng's son, he rebelled with Li Zicheng back then, and was later chased and killed by the Qing army, fled here, changed his name, went incognito, and became a businessman, he has not told you about it, because he is afraid that you will cause trouble if you know, and he is also afraid that you will hate him, so he has always been very good to you, regard you as his pride, he hopes that you can live a happy life, and do not repeat his mistakes again. ”
Li Gui heard these words, his heart was sad, he couldn't believe that his father was a rebellious rebel, he couldn't believe that his ancestor turned out to be a tyrant who killed people without blinking, he couldn't believe that everything about himself was built on a lie, he felt that his life was a joke, he felt that everything he was a dream, he wanted to wake up, but he couldn't.
Fuxian said again: "Li Gui, you still don't know the most terrible thing, you still don't know your relationship with Zhang Yi, you don't know your relationship with Zhang Ming, you don't know your relationship with Li Jiao. You and Zhang Yi are brothers, you are the sons of the same father, your father was on the way to escape, met a widow, she is Zhang Yi's mother, they fell in love and gave birth to Zhang Yi.
Later, they were caught up by the Qing army, Zhang Yi's mother sacrificed herself in order to save them, your father fled here with Zhang Yi, regarded him as his brother-in-law, and his mother as his mother-in-law, he has not told you about it, because he is afraid that you will be sad, and he is afraid that you will hate each other, so he has always been very good to you, and treats you as his son, and he hopes that you can live in harmony and no longer have hatred. ”
Li Gui heard these words, and his heart was shocked, he couldn't believe that he and Zhang Yi were brothers, he couldn't believe that he and Zhang Ming were nephews, he couldn't believe that he and Li Jiao were uncles and nephews, he felt that everything he was doing was a fault, he felt that everything he was a sin, he wanted to escape, but he couldn't.
Fuxian finally said: "Li Gui, you still don't know the saddest thing, you still don't know your relationship with the Wang family, you don't know your relationship with Chen Yuanyuan, you don't know your relationship with Li Zicheng yet." You and Wang are sisters and brothers, you are the children of the same mother, your mother is Chen Yuanyuan, she was Li Zicheng's concubine, and later was captured by the Qing army, sent to Beijing, and was given a prince by Emperor Shunzhi, she is Wang's mother.
She gave birth to Wang, and later she was given a general by Emperor Shunzhi, she is your mother, she gave birth to you, and later she was given to a minister by Emperor Shunzhi, she is Zhang Yi's mother, she gave birth to Zhang Yi, and later she was given to a eunuch by Emperor Shunzhi, she is Zhang Ming's mother, she gave birth to Zhang Ming, and later she was given to a monk by Emperor Shunzhi.
She is my mother, she gave birth to me, and then she died, and her ashes were taken by me to the fairy world and buried in an ancient temple, and she never told you about it, because she was afraid that you would suffer, and she was afraid that you would hate her, so she has always been very good to you, and treated you as her children, and she hopes that you can forget the past and stop suffering. ”
Li Gui heard these words, and there was a burst of despair in his heart, he couldn't believe that he and the Wang family were brother and sister, he couldn't believe that he and Chen Yuanyuan were actually mother and son, he couldn't believe that he and Li Zicheng were father and son, he felt that everything he was was a nightmare, he felt that everything he was was a curse, he wanted to die, but he couldn't.
Fuxian looked at Li Gui and said, "Li Gui, now that you know your life experience, you now know your bad fate, what should you do?" You should let go of your attachments, let go of your hatred, let go of your sins, let go of your pain, you should repent and realize the truth, you should follow me, go to the fairy world, go to see your mother, go to see your ancestors, go to see your Buddha.
You should take refuge in Buddhism, you should practice purity, you should give everything you have, to those who need it, to those who are suffering, to those who are innocent, you should use your kindness, with your compassion, with your wisdom, to make up for your mistakes, to remove your karma, to save your soul, you should do this, this is your only way out, this is your only salvation, this is your only consummation. ”
Li Gui listened to Fuxian's words, and his heart was enlightened, he felt that Fuxian was reasonable, he felt that he should follow his advice, he felt that he should change his fate, and he felt that he should pursue his own happiness. He raised his head, looked at Fuxian, and said:
Master, you are right, I should follow you, go to the fairy world, go to see my mother, go to see my ancestors, go to see my Buddha, I should take refuge in Buddhism, practice purity, I should give everything I have, to those who need it, to those who suffer, to those who are innocent, I should use my kindness, with my compassion, with my wisdom, to make up for my mistakes, to eliminate my karma, to save my soul, I am willing to do this, this is my choice, this is my determination, this is my fulfillment. ”
Fuxian listened to Li Gui's words, and felt relieved in his heart, he felt that Li Gui finally understood, he felt that Li Gui had finally changed, and he felt that Li Gui was finally saved. He smiled and said:
Li Gui, you have done well, you have done right, you have done a satisfactory job, you are a destined person, you are a blessed person, you are a wise person, your choice is correct, your determination is firm, and your perfection is beautiful. Come with me, let's go to the fairy realm together, to see your mother, to meet your ancestors, to meet your Buddha, to take refuge in Buddhism, to practice purity, to make up for mistakes, to eliminate karma, to save souls, to pursue happiness, to achieve consummation. ”
As he spoke, he stretched out his hand, pulled Li Gui up, and led him out of Zhang Yi's home, into the distance, towards the fairy world, and towards consummation.
Li Gui followed Fuxian, left his home, left his wife, left his daughter, left his brother, left his nephew, left everything of his own, he did not look back, he did not hesitate, he did not regret, he only had a pious heart, a compassionate heart, a wise heart, he only had one goal, one belief, one fulfillment.
Wang, Li Jiao, Zhang Yi, Zhang Ming, looking at the backs of Li Gui and Fuxian, tears flowed in their eyes, but they could only choose to accept this ending.